In a known light emitting device, a wavelength conversion layer composed of a resin layer containing phosphor particles can be formed on a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode. Part of light from the light emitting element can be converted by the phosphor particles in the wavelength conversion layer to light with a different wavelength, and the light converted by the phosphor particles can be mixed with light received directly from the light emitting element after passing through the wavelength conversion layer. Then resultant light with mixed color can be emitted from the light emitting device.
In this light emitting device, a light-transmitting plate member to allow the light mixed in the wavelength conversion layer to pass therethrough can be disposed on the wavelength conversion layer (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-219324, for example). Further, this light emitting device is configured to extract light emitted from the light emitting element to the outside of the light emitting device by covering, with a reflective member made of a material such as a reflective resin, each side surface of the light emitting element, the wavelength conversion layer, and the light-transmitting plate member.
In the conventional light emitting device, the light-transmitting plate member is larger than the light emitting element. This generates problems such as non-uniformities in brightness and color and color separation between a part directly above the center of a light-exiting main surface of the light emitting element and a region around this part, making it difficult or impossible to obtain uniform brightness and color distribution characteristics on a light-exiting surface of the light emitting device.
The non-uniformities in brightness and color and the like may be suppressed by forming a surface of the light-transmitting plate member as a concave-convex surface. However, this can generates problems such as a rising up of the reflective member disposed on the periphery of the light-transmitting plate member through an edge surface of the light-transmitting plate member. Thus, a peripheral region of the light-transmitting plate member may be formed as a region without concave-convex surface to prevent rising up of the reflective member. However, this in turn generates a problem in that the non-uniformities in brightness and color are left unremoved in the peripheral region.